Frame: Sportsmanship
Premise: Americans love sports and games. We love a good fight, but we also demand a fair fight. A sense of fair play (real or imagined) is at the core of America's definition of itself. I submit that the notions of sportsmanship provide a deep metaphorical structure within which to frame ethical choices and political debate.
More on the flip...
George Lakoff's illumination of conceptual framing as it relates to the American political landscape has sparked a revolution in progressive discourse. His development of the Strict Father/Nurturing Parent model has provided modern liberals with a much-needed practical, common sense structure within which to explore and define their ideas. This is a huge leap forward.
Much of the work that has followed from Lakoff's lead seems to occur on at the level that we might call lexical framing. That is, finding the words to talk about issues in ways that favor and advance progressive ideals. This work is crucial, but it takes advantage of only a part of what Prof. Lakoff has offered us. To be truly effective, a frame must invoke deeper pre-existing conceptual models. Being able to communicate about issues in progressive terms is key, but unless that communication connects with pre-existing cognitive models (metaphors) in the mind of the audience, the frame will carry no weight.
Progressive framing is not so much about finding the language with which to communicate liberal values as it is about making those values resonate with the existing conceptual structures that comprise an individual's notions of "common sense." Lakoff's brilliance lies in his understanding of how we humans make a complex world more manageable for ourselves by applying metaphorical transformations to things and ideas that would otherwise be too abstract or opaque to get a handle on. The government is not our family, but we respond to familial metaphors for government because we know how families work and it is from our families that we first learn about power and the distribution of resources (which is essentially what government is all about). We accept the family-as-government metaphors because, at a high level, families and governments do similar things and the metaphors use our existing knowledge of the world to to talk about politics in a way that makes the topic accessible and "common sense."
With all this in mind, I humbly present the following sportsmanship frame.
Frame: Sportsmanship
Premise: Americans love sports and games. We love a good fight, but we also demand a fair fight. A sense of fair play (real or imagined) is at the core of America's definition of itself. I submit that the notions of sportsmanship provide a deep metaphorical structure within which to frame ethical choices and political debate.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines sportsmanship as:
Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing
From this we can make the following assertions:
A Good Sport is someone who:
- plays fairly, by the rules
- shows respect for others and themselves
- knows how to win graciously
- knows how to lose with dignity
- leaves the game on the field, regardless of the outcome
A Bad Sport is someone who:
- breaks the rules
- shows off, talks trash
- tries to win at any cost
- gloats over their victories
- becomes bitter, whiny, or lashes out in defeat
Framing political life in terms of sportsmanship offers the following considertaions:
Sportsmanship defines excellence as something more than winning
Good sports understand that the rules of the game give definition and substance to victory and that winning by breaking the rules cheapens both the victory and the victor.
Sportsmanship is more than simple fairness
Sportsmanship entails fair play while extending it to include notions of decorum, civility, and respect. You might consider it fair to cheat if you believe that the opposition is cheating but to do so would still make you a bad sport.
Sportsmanship offers a way to talk about ethics while avoiding current hot button frames and fences
Sportsmanship is, in part, an alternative expression of the Golden Rule ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"). That is, you know how bitter it can feel to lose, so you don"t lord it over your opponent when you win. You want a fair chance to prove your abilities, so you don"t try to rig the game against your competitor.
Fairness, respect, dignity, equality, empathy, personal and group responsibility-- each of these core progressive ideals can be illuminated with the sportsmanship frame without having to have the tired and baggage-ridden "family values" conversation.
The Sportsmanship frame has common sense appeal
The sportsmanship frame offers a way to discuss ethical behavior in a context that cuts across culture and class lines. Talk about the rule of law and constitutional minority protections and all but the wonkiest among us will wander off or glaze over-- talk about playing by the rules and making sure that both sides get their turn at bat and everyone knows exactly what you mean.
The Sportsmanship frame is consistent with the fighting Dems meme
Being a good sport does not mean that you are timid or pull your punches in a tough fight. Indeed, good sportsmanship demands that you give your all and teaches you to expect your opponent to do the same. Being a good sport means showing respect and demanding respect.
Practical Suggestions:
Model good sportsmanship in your own political activities. Did you just best your favorite right-wing nemesis in a debate? Make a point to go and shake their hand afterward-- if they accept, maybe they will be a little more open next time; if they refuse, they out themselves as the bad sport that they are.
Support sportsmanship organizations and local amateur sports Supporting (or starting) community organizations that promote good sportsmanship offers progressives a novel way to connect with the grassroots. Want to get the attention of "Soccer Moms" and "NASCAR Dads"? Have your progressive organization sponsor a sports figure to talk to their kids about the value of good sportsmanship.
Draw attention to every instance of bad sportsmanship. Its not enough to simply "rise above it" when you opponent behaves in an unsportsmanlike fashion; you have to hammer them for being a bad sport (cheater, trash-talker, sore winner, sore loser, etc.). Show respect and demand respect.
Every time the GOP weasels the rules (or produces fake news, or ignores science when it conflicts with policy) they need to get hammered in public for being cheaters who are so weak that their ideas can"t stand up to a fair debate.
Use the ethics of sportsmanship to turn the tables on the hypocritical "family values" squad. Ask your favorite God, Gays, and Guns bigot what message America"s children are supposed to learn from them when they vote to change the rules just to get their own way. Ask them how trash-talking a decorated war veteran by calling him a coward teaches America"s kids to respect those who serve their country.
Draw a direct causal connection between the current lack of sportsmanship in some areas of professional sports and the corruption and abuses of the Republican party and the larger corporate world. Sports scandals, congressional corruption, corporate greed and monopolism-- all three demonstrate what happens when leaders abandon the principles of basic sportsmanship. Frame it that way. Don"t be afraid to use a broad brush.
Ask yourself, why do we tolerate unethical behavior from political leaders but not from sports stars? Why does the House Majority Leader get to hold himself to a lower standard than your local team's top basketball hero? Who are the real role models?